We get over 100 calls to the office every month from folk looking for help with their business and sorting out their intellectual property rights. The Briffa team is ready to help and we make a point of investing time in getting under the skin of whatever idea or business you are working on to…

By the end of the 18th century, the Cornish pasty had established itself as the staple diet of working men across Cornwall. This pre-Tupperware quick fix for lunch was enjoyed by tin miners and farm workers as it was easily transported and agreeably filling. Towards the end of the 19th century the words ‘I’ll just…

Has anyone else noticed that the B.. word has not been mentioned much in the press in the last few days. Is this a good sign or bad? Is nothing at all happening or is Mrs May in secret talks. To fill the gap here’s a parody of the song Hotel California for all you…

I subscribe to an excellent publication which promotes the stories of small and successful emerging business called Courier Magazine. The October edition ran a long feature on the cannabis economy which features the stories of a whole host of start-ups developing what will quite probably become the big cannabis brands of the future. Over here…

Over the last few days it has been difficult to escape the widespread coverage of the anonymised injunction obtained by Sir Philip Green preventing publication by The Telegraph newspaper of allegations against him by a number of former employees; and the subsequent decision by Lord Hain to use his Parliamentary privilege to identify Sir Philip…

The Court of Appeal upheld the High Court decision that Argos Systems Inc (ASI), a US company, had not infringed Argos Ltd (AUL) registered trade marks for displaying Google adverts for AUL on its website <www.argos.com>. AUL is a well-known UK based consumer retailer which owns trade marks for the word ARGOS and the domain…

Following from our recent article on the implications of blockchain for royalty management and distribution in the media industry, further practical applications are being offered by several pundits. In this article, we consider the impact for anti-counterfeiting in particular. From paintings to fashion pieces and luxury goods, being able to prove the authenticity of a particular…

We reported here back in September on the efforts of Prince’s estate to clamp down on a bootleg label dedicated to the Purple One. Now Paisley Park Enterprises, the company that manages Price’s rights has the bit between its teeth again, this time applying to the US Patent and Trademark Office for a trade mark…

Trade mark hijacking in in China has been a big issue for the businesses we work with for some time. A combination of low filing costs and the first to file system in China has fuelled an industry in rogue filings. Many businesses have faced problems and had to pay off individuals or companies that…

Last month we reported on The Department of International Trade’s consultation on prospective trade agreements. This month we are pleased to see that The Bookseller has reported on the response submitted by The Society of Authors which sends a loud and clear message to the government that copyright must not be watered down and used…

Lawyers love writing letters, in fact, it’s one of the specialties, but there is one particular letter which intellectual property lawyers send off more than any other; a cease and desist letter. The name somewhat gives away the point of the letter; essentially it’s to politely but firmly invite the recipient to stop whatever it…

Earlier this year, we reported on olfactory marks (i.e. trade marks for smells). We reported that these types of trade marks were becoming more accessible to brand owners thanks to recent changes in EU trade mark law which changed the requirements for trade mark registrability. These changes to EU trade mark law are coming into…